The day of the proposal I woke up feeling pretty potato (interpret that adjective as you will). Some context: we had just run a Tough Mudder two days prior and the DOMS was STRONG. Now, any of my friends will tell you that I hate cardio—even on a good day, but a Tough Mudder on newly healed bones was a pretty tall order for this smol Potato.

We had ambitiously pre-planned a hike for that day, but I figured it probably couldn’t hurt to do a short hike and move the lactic acid out of my muscles. Unfortunately, the forecast had other plans. The sky maintained a steady grey drizzle, so we passed the time by playing games until another friend, April, suggested that we all get mani-pedis to clear the race grime out from our nail-beds.

I was surprised that Dan actually agreed to a mani-pedi, but also HIGHLY entertained as he squirmed through having his ticklish feet poked and prodded. Heh.

Finally, the sky cleared enough for us to venture to Discovery Park, yay! I threw on some sweatpants and a comfy jacket and then we sped off to try to zip through this hike before sunset.

Stream of consciousness throughout the hike: “Man, Sabreen sure does like taking photos, but that’s cool. I hope she’s enjoying her new camera lens, and I hope we are being good models. Man, I do not know how to not pose like a basic bitch or like a sloth. How do models do this? Why won’t Dan hold my hand? His hands must be real cold, they’ve been shoved in his pockets this whole hike. Guess he forgot to bring gloves. Doop de doo, SQUIRREL!”

Soon the sun began to set, and we started to make our way out of the park, but we stopped in a small patch of light around a clearing in the trees. I started goofing around, like I do, but Dan pulled my hand and suddenly got real serious.

As he knelt down, I remember thinking “Oh boy. He is going to have one muddy knee. MISTAKES.” He started speaking words at me, but really it’s a blur. It’s a shame. I’m sure this was a speech he rehearsed for hours to make it perfect because that’s the sort of thing he would do, but I think he asked if I would marry him. So I was like “YEAH!” And then he held the ring at me awkwardly and we both stared at it nestled in its little box until I blurted out, “You’re supposed to put it on my finger.” And he said “OH!" and fumbled to slip it onto the ring finger.

And then we took silly photos with our sneaky photographer, Sabreen, and photographer’s assistant, April! All in all, it was a good day! I wish I hadn’t been wearing a bum outfit, but it’s much more authentic this way seeing as how I practically live in athleisure. Either way, I’m super proud of Dan and friends for all their crafty scheming! I am profoundly grateful to everybody who made sure the proposal day went off without a hitch (barring acts of nature), and am super excited to GET HITCHED this August.

I thought I was ready.

I had planned out the day with Sabreen, my hopefully-future-best-man and soon-to-be engagement photographer. We’d go for a group hike in the afternoon, either to Golden Gardens for sunset if the skies were clear, or to Discovery Park if the Seattle sky was its usual cloudy self. Sabreen would have her camera; she’d brought it along a few times already that weekend to establish a pattern. Eventually we’d find the perfect spot, and I would kneel down and ask the most important question of my life.

I had planned out my speech: the night before, unable to sleep due to nervousness, I’d come up with a perfect five or six sentences. A sentence about our past, a sentence about how awesome she was, a sentence about our future, and a Marie Kondo joke -- how could anyone say no to that?

Then the day came, and I learned that proposing isn’t really something you can be prepared for.

Looking back, everything actually went exactly to plan. After a big lunch, April suggested that we go for a hike to walk it off, and why not Discovery Park since it was convenient and pretty? So we piled into her car, headed over there, and started one of the most memorable hikes we’ve ever done.

As promised, the park was beautiful; every quarter-mile or so we’d stop at another picturesque spot for photos, and Sabreen would give me a meaningful look. But I was so, so nervous -- despite all the thinking and planning and preparation, I didn’t feel ready, and, every time I responded to Sabreen’s glance with a tiny shake of my head -- no, not yet.

So we kept hiking. Through the woods, down to a beach with an abandoned lighthouse, back up into the woods… past so many beautiful possibilities, and each time -- no, not yet. Eventually, it started to get dark, so Sabreen pulled me aside and let me know that while it wasn’t quite too late, it needed to happen soon.

A couple of minutes later, we came across an enormous tree in the middle of a clearing, and I knew that this had to be the place. Our erstwhile photographer ran a bit down the trail for a better angle, we lined up for photos, and then -- still freaking out -- I paused just long enough that Christine started to walk away! I asked her to come back for one more picture, then dropped to one knee as she said, “What. What is happening.” Naturally, I immediately forgot most of my speech, so I think we were about equally confused.

I did remember the Marie Kondo joke, though.

Eventually I got out the few sentences that had stayed in my head, finishing with the all-important, “Will you marry me?” I was amazed and delighted to hear, over the blood pounding in my ears, her answer: “Yes! Of course!”.

Then I realized that I had no idea what happened next -- when do I stand up? Do I help put the ring on? We figured it out soon enough, and finally shared our first kiss as an engaged couple!